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Map your class notes with a free mind map program

Upload a PDF, DOCX, slide deck, or photo of a page, and get a mind map you can edit and explore branch by branch.

Create mind maps nowFree · No credit card required

Drop files here or browsePDF, DOCX, PPTX, text or photos of your notes · several files with Plus

Free account · 3 sets a month · Creates mind maps in seconds

What a free mind map program can and cannot do

Students often try a free mind map program when a lecture packs too many ideas into one sitting. A good map shows how the main topic splits into branches, and that structure is easier to remember than a list of bullet points.

Upload a chapter, lecture slides, or a photo of handwritten notes as your starting point.
Keep each main branch to one core idea so the map stays readable when you review it.
Use the sub-points as prompts: cover one, then say what it connects to before you check.
Turn the map into flashcards or a quiz once you can explain each branch without looking.

Example biology mind map branches

Cell membranePhospholipid bilayer · Selective permeability · Transport proteins

MitosisProphase · Metaphase · Anaphase · Telophase

PhotosynthesisLight reactions · Calvin cycle · Chloroplast location

EnzymesActive site · Substrate specificity · Affected by temperature and pH

Mendelian geneticsDominant and recessive alleles · Punnett squares · Law of segregation

Generate the full set

Starts from your own material

Upload PDFs, DOCX files, PPTX slides, plain text notes, or photos of pages. Text in images is read with text recognition.

Editable and explorable

Each main branch opens into sub-points, so you can rearrange ideas, drill into a topic, and see how concepts connect.

Study tools from the same source

Turn the same material into flashcards with spaced repetition or a quiz with explanations when you are ready to test yourself.

How it works

Add your notes

Upload a file or paste text. No credit card is needed to start.

Generate the map

DeckOwl builds a mind map with main branches and sub-points drawn from your material.

Explore and edit

Open branches, reorganize ideas, and study in the browser. Exporting is available on paid plans.

The free plan on DeckOwl gives you 3 generations a month and lets you study the map in the browser. Exports to PDF, DOCX, and Anki are part of the Plus plan at $99.90 a year or $9.99 a month, and students get 40% off with a school email.

Mind maps work best when you build them from your own material rather than a generic template. Upload the chapter or lecture slides you are studying, then check the branches against your textbook.

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Sample AI Concept Map for Photosynthesis

See a photosynthesis concept map sample, then build one from your own notes or PDFs.

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Frequently asked questions

How many branches should a mind map have for one lecture?

Most lectures work well with 5 to 8 main branches, each with 2 to 4 sub-points. If a branch has more than 4 sub-points, split it into two related branches.

Is a mind map better than an outline for studying?

A mind map is useful when you need to see how ideas relate to each other, such as causes and effects or categories within a topic. An outline works better for material that has a strict sequence, like steps in a procedure.

Can I export the mind map for free?

Exporting is not included in the free plan, which lets you study in the browser. Plus adds PDF, DOCX, Anki, and CSV export for $99.90 a year or $9.99 a month.

How many free mind maps can I make each month?

The free plan includes 3 generations per month. Plus removes that limit and includes unlimited generations.

Generate free mind maps

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.